The Sound of Silence
by AudiLion
Summary: The day that Duncan proposed to Courtney was also the day Duncan later received a letter calling him to war and the night before he left, both him and Courtney sat in their room listening to the sound of silence. ((Co-written by Hugh Takinamee.)
1. Pilot

**Author's note: It's been awhile, guys! Hey! Anyways, I'm back, but this time… I'm doing a co-write with Hugh Takinamee! If you guys check him out, he has some a great story going! So, this is a co-write that Hugh and I are doing, and since we both like Duncney, we've decided to do this! Enjoy! ( This was written by Julz... ) ((Oh yeah it was))**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama, and neither does Hugh Takinamee. Darn huh, Julius… (I don't say darn. Do I?) ((I think you do xD))**

Prosperity rose in the United States in the years following the First World War. The Roaring Twenties, especially, brought new immigrants to the country to claim a piece of the American Dream.

A large ship carrying immigrants from the United Kingdom finally docked on Ellis Island. Fresh from its month long voyage as the ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean, one of the first people to officially step into the United States was a British couple with two children. In fact, the patriarch of the family fought for the United Kingdom in The Great War. Seeing new land for the first time in a month felt refreshing for him. Meanwhile, the mother was carrying her young daughter and held onto her young son's hand as they disembarked. That young son was named Duncan.

As the family went through checkpoints inside Ellis Island, young Duncan hoped that he would be one like his father, fighting for the country he lived in. Looking at the Statue of Liberty cemented his decision. His eyes danced around like mad men, taking in all he could.

Meanwhile, inside New York City, a young schoolgirl hustled across a narrow street before the school bell rang. She skipped steps to hurry to class unnoticed. As she set her pile of books down, a booming voice made her jump.

"Courtney! You're late. _Again…_ " A large, disgruntled man sniped at the young girl.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Worthington," Courtney bowed her head down as she entered her classroom. Mr. Worthington gave her a disgruntled nod in her direction and went on with the morning announcements. Courtney sat there in obedient silence, reflecting over the fight she had heard her parents having that morn.

It just so happened that in the following weeks, a new student was introduced into Courtney's class. And he had a British accent. All the girls in their 6th grade class fawned and sighed over the new boy, with his black as night hair and Caribbean blue eyes. He basked in the attention he was receiving, except from her. She had made up her mind about boys long before she knew him, but as fate must have it, her opinion would change. As both Duncan and Courtney grew respectfully, they came closer- in a way. Between the bickering and quips and nags, neither of them realized just how the other really felt deep down.

It wasn't until after enduring the hell called high school that the two of them learned. Both Courtney and Duncan were accepted into the same college, and consequently had to deal with each other all over again. As the year went on, the couple came to an understanding of each other and made it official. The day that Duncan proposed to Courtney was also the day Duncan later received a letter calling him to war and the night before he left, both him and Courtney sat in their room listening to the sound of silence.

And then the silence was taken aback by the voice of Courtney, seemingly worried about her fiance's future. What if Duncan went out there and never came back? What if he was alive and was with another girl? What if, what if, what if… That was all Courtney could think of. What if…

"Duncan," Courtney spoke in a soft tone. "I know that it's not up to me to say what goes on in your life, but… If I could have the chance to say... " Tears began swelling in her eyes, wishing that everything up to that point never happened. The draft letter, the silence between the two, everything.

"I know," Duncan only sighed. "It's going to be hard, princess. But all I'm asking from you is to bear with me, and trust me, okay? I will come home to you once it's all done," he reassured. Courtney then wrapped her arms around Duncan as if she was wrapping a piece of herself, not wanting to let go. Duncan, however, sat there, basking in the sound of silence.

The day has arrived. Duncan, along with his parents, and Courtney were at Pier 25, along with thousands of families surrounding them. In the USS Lincoln, tens of thousands of soldiers waited aboard to say their final goodbyes to their families as they headed into uncertainty.

"Duncan! Go!" Courtney shouted as the multitude of cheering took over. Duncan nodded, hugging his parents, wishing him luck, before kissing his fiancé one last time.

"I love you, Duncan," Courtney smiled, trying to not shed tears.

"Love you too, princess," Duncan smiled back. "I'll be back, okay?"

Courtney could only nod, as Duncan turned around and steadily boarded the battleship. Once he was in full view, side by side fellow soldiers, he waved to his parents and Courtney down below. Duncan's parents smiled, proud that their son would be fighting as his father did. Courtney, however, was beginning to tear up. Seeing Duncan happily waving from up above, she couldn't help but also wave back and be proud of her fiancé.

Later that night, Courtney prayed for Duncan's safety before going to bed. The sound of silence was beginning for her.


	2. Chapter 1: Duncan

Chapter 1: Duncan

He didn't know what to expect on his first day of training. And he for sure didn't expect to be put on the front lines right away.

Lt. Corp. Alexander Hatchet was an intimidating man. He was as tall as he was broad shouldered and his stoic face showcased battle scars. His gruff but loud voice boomed throughout the field, making Duncan and many of the other privates jump.

"Listen here, scums!" Hatchet loud voice immediately got everyone's attention. "You are all here for one reason and one reason only: to fight and defeat these dirty Japs! NOW DROP AND GIMME 50!" He blew his while and soon everyone was doing it.

Afterwards, Duncan was already tired… and it wasn't even lunch time. After running around an obstacle course which consisted a lot of barbed wire, mud, and shouting, Duncan was worn out. He was feeling the effects of war even before he was out in the battlefield. "Shit, man!" he quietly cried out as he was tugging his foot out of his mud-globbered boot. He heard someone snicker to his left and he saw one of his bunk mate's shoulders shake.

"This ain't no ferris wheel, huh city boy?" The dude quipped and went back to tearing off his own boots. Duncan proceeded to flip him off as he tendered to his foot.

"New boy, huh?" he questioned Duncan. Judging by his tired state and his body language, he definitely was one. "Thought so. I'm Trent Jones," Trent held out his right hand.

"Duncan Milton," Duncan replied and shook the man's hand. "How long have you been here for?" he asked.

"Not long, nobody here has. They ship us here for a week or two and then ship us off again to go fight the frontlines."

"Where do you think we're going?" The person above Duncan piped up. Both him and Trent looked up, and the person was revealed to have long blonde hair and a cowboy hat. "Oh yeah, name's Geoffrey Davidson. But they just call me Geoff," he added.

"I don't know, man," Trent sighed. "I don't know."

As the three thought a little bit, a lot of commotion was happening around them. Soldiers and cadets running to the mess hall, where hundreds of soldiers were gathered in front of a radio.

"What's happening?" Duncan asked the other two. Shrugging, the three headed out as well and gathered around the nearest radio.

 _We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin,_ the anchor announced. _The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by air, President Roosevelt has just announced. The attack also was made on a naval military base on the principal island of Oahu._

Tons of soldiers were standing there in shock as they continued to listen.

 _There has been a reported 2,403 dead and 1,178 injured. During the attack nearly 20 American ships and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed._

It was hard for Duncan to see through all the chaos that was happening. Trent and Geoff flanked both of his sides and they stood there in confusion and disbelief.

They were stirred out of their stupefaction by the supper bell, where everyone filed into a solemn line. There was no talk or chatter between any of the men. The sound of silence filled the room.

After being ordered to return to their positions, Duncan decided to write. He wrote about his first day at camp, the people, and how he took the news of Pearl Harbor. It was a simple one page letter, finally signing off with ' _Love Duncan'_ before shutting off the bedside lamp and falling into a deep sleep.

The following morning, he was awoken to a few soldiers gathered around a radio. Geoff and Trent were still sound asleep. Duncan decided to not wake them up and headed for the group around the radio.

 _Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,_ President Roosevelt announced.

As Duncan and the others listened to the radio broadcast, his mind was running. Will he actually declare war on the Japs? Will he be the first ones out there? What if, what if, what if…

The radio transmission ended with this statement: _I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire._

A bunch of commotion took place. President Roosevelt just declared war on Japan.

The other two, meanwhile, were waken up by the noise of the commotion and went about the learned routine that the others had seemed to fall into. As all the men were ready and waiting at attention, Lt. Corp. Hatchet walked in and eyes all the soldiers. His loud voice cut through the silence like a butcher's knife.

"Well boys, looks like it's yer lucky day! President Roosevelt has declared war on the Japs. This afternoon, as of fourteen hundred hours, ya'll suckers will be aboard a plane and on your way to the battlefront," he addressed the youngsters. "Now I expect the most out of you men. Make me proud," and with that, he left the soldiers drowning in nothing.

With that, the three of them were excited… well, two of them were. Duncan, however, was thinking. And it wasn't about the war- it was about Courtney and his parents. What if he doesn't make it out of this alive. He didn't want to think about how devastated his family would be. He knew deep down that even if he felt like giving in, he had to keep going for them. He had a purpose for signing up.

"Wanna cig? It'll help calm those jumpy nerves ya got," Geoff offered Duncan a cigarette out of his pack and he took it. He sat there with Trent and Geoff, puffing on the cancer stick. The three of them pulled themselves together when they heard the distant rumble of a large cargo plane. Hauling their duffels to the air lane, the waiting for the impending trip.

A gush of air and the deafening whir of the engines nearly threw Duncan off as he climbed up the entrance of the plane. He sat next to Geoff and a stranger named DJ. Duncan strapped himself in as securely as he could and attempted to relax. His efforts were in vain though as the plane started up again and shook. It wasn't until they were all in the air that he calmed down. An older, but still youthful looking captain looked at the passengers on board, but mostly he focused his attention on the Geoff, Duncan, and Trent.

"Listen up, kids," the captain shouted, as the sound of the plane from inside was deafening. "We're all going to The Philippines for our first mission. Specifically, Manila. Now, some of you may not know what the hell you're doing out there, that's why I'm here. You listen to me and me only if you want to live," he added.

"Tch, we'll see about that," Duncan whispered to himself. The captain whipped his head to Duncan and marched over to the private.

"Did you say something, Private?" The captain yelled.

"No, I don't think so Captain…." Duncan said with a sly look while looking for the captain's name. "McLean."

"Well… Private…" Captain McLean looked at Duncan's name tag. "Milton, I can guaran-damn-tee that you'll be the first ones dead. So if I were you, I'd listen to your superior! Got it?" he yelled, triggering many faces looking at him and Duncan.

Duncan simply nodded at his command. "Good," Captain McLean smiled. He leaned forward and patted Duncan's shoulder. "Welcome to the 37th Infantry Division*."

 _*This is actually historically incorrect D: Sorry. But there actually was a 37th Infantry Division during WWII. It just didn't do anything that we're putting in the story._

 _ **Follow and favorite! Julz and I will really appreciate it! Thanks so much for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 2: Duncan

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! Been a real busy bee. Okay, now it's updating story mode time! So, for this chapter… well, Duncan goes into war. With Geoff and Trent. Go read the previous chapter if you haven't already! xD**

 **Anyways, enjoy the story!**

 **Disclaimer: Hugh and AudiLion don't own Total Drama. Sucks, right?**

The aircraft was well above the Pacific, some hundred miles away from the site of Pearl Harbor. The journey was going to be a while, but Duncan had better things to do than prepare for a war in which he might possibly be killed in.

He was asleep. He lay his body down, sound asleep. Occasionally the loud crack of thunder would wake him, but the steady sway of the plane lulled him back to sleep. They say that it takes a full ninety minutes for your brain to process a dream, but every time Duncan dreamt of Courtney. He missed her, there was no denying that.

 _She sat down in her baby blue dress onto the grass next to their dog, Max, and smiled up at him. Duncan settled behind his wife, wrapping his arms around her rounded belly with a content smirk._

" _So," Courtney scooted to look at him, "do you want a boy or a girl?"_

 _Duncan kissed her shoulder and hummed in thought. "I hope it's a girl, that way when she grows up, she'll be just like her momma."_

 _Courtney rolled her eyes and scoffed, "suck-up."_

 _Duncan laughed and smirked. "Yeah, but you love me anyways."  
_ " _Sometimes I wonder though…" Courtney drawled jokingly._

The plane shook violently and it woke Duncan up. He rubbed at his groggy eyes and yawned, disappointed and home sick.

"Shit, we're still here?" he quietly asked himself. "I thought we'd be in Manila by now!"

Geoff laughed and shook his head. "Nah man, I think we're above Saipan now. Should be landing soon, I guess."

"You're right!" From out of nowhere, Captain McLean emerged from the cockpit, a single light shone over his head. "We should be landing in Manila at twenty-two hundred hours," he smirked. He then went into a closet, grabbed an M1 Carbine, and proceeded to smash the butt onto the metal wall. "Wake up, maggots! We're landing in Manila soon, so get yer asses ready!" His loud, firm voice soon got everyone's attention, and in an instant, everyone was up and about.

' _This is the pilot speaking,'_ the pilot spoke on the PA system. ' _We're about to land in Manila, Philippines. Local time right now is twenty-two hundred hours. Please take your seats and hang on tight!'_

Duncan sat back down in the original seat between Trent and Geoff and looked at the two. "Wish I'd known you two longer before this shit happened." He laughed and became serious. "Have you ever wondered what it's like to die?"

Geoff looked at Duncan curiously. "What kind of question is that, man?"

"We won't have time to think about what's it's like to die when we're on the battlefield, Duncan. We'll be too busy tryin' to stay the hell alive." Trent piped in.

Duncan nodded and bit his lip in silence. He couldn't help but think about Courtney again and his dream. A baby. He laughed at the possibility of a miniature hellion that was half him. The thought brought some relief to the anxiety and stress Duncan was feeling in the current situation.

It wasn't long before the pilot announced over the PA system that they were landing and to be prepared for the initial shock. The sound of tires touching down on Manila was heard inside.

After a few more minutes of sitting around and waiting, the rear hatch was finally opening. Everyone had filed up in a single line, trying to keep a straight face. They were about to go into the open, foreign air. The sound of silence was among them.

As the 37th Infantry Division marched across the airfield and hopped into the military-issued Willys Jeep, Duncan, Geoff, and Trent were feeling the effects of war, even before they had been on a battlefield. The thick, humid air made it hard to breathe, especially with the gear and uniform covering the men head to toe. Duncan handed his Johnson M1941 semi-automatic rifle to Trent and stripped his back of the sweaty jacket and tied it around his waist.

"In this heat, there is no way in hell I'm surviving this."

Geoff bumped shoulders with Duncan jokingly. "Come on, man, it's not that bad. I mean, summers in Southern California are worse than this."

Trent snorted. "Try Texas."

Duncan didn't feel a bit bad for complaining, just annoyed at his two mates. He watched the sand get kicked up from underneath the tires of the jeep and fell into a dazed sleep despite the bumps. It wasn't long before someone was tapping him on the shoulder to gain his attention.

"C'mon man, we're here at camp," Geoff practically shoved Duncan out of his seat and onto the ground.

"Really?" Duncan said in both an aggravated and joking tone as he kicked at the blond's feet. He stood up and stretched, looking around at his surroundings. All of the soldiers were standing there in shocked silence. Buildings were obliterated to nothing but rubble and the trees were bent in half, looking as if they were bowing to the never ending eruptions of guns. People milled around the broken city, digging for the remains of their loved ones.

Duncan blinked away his shock when his eyes came upon a young woman holding a small shoe to her chest, sobbing. The gut-wrenching fear that he had buried deep in his core clawed it's way out of it's pit and made itself known. He didn't know what to do for the first time in ages.

The men followed Captain McLean into the underground bunkers. As night fell, the lights of artillery shells lit up sky in the distance and Duncan for once missed the sound of silence.

* * *

 **Hey guys! So this is** _**actually**_ **Audilion, and I just want to say sorry for the late update. Being in high school and having two jobs keeps you busy, let me tell you! Here's the official Chapter 2. Hope you enjoy and please review!**


	4. Chapter 3: Courtney

**A/N: Yes, we're back at it again! And I know, it's been awhile since we've last pushed this out. Why? Life. Audi and Julius have lives, too. (Mainly… I, Audi, got my laptop taken away because apparently my mom felt I was on fanfiction too much XD) So, I'm not gonna beat around the bush any longer and just get this over with! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Julius and Audi don't own Total Drama. It's a dead brand that should at least be brought back to life one last time… Or should it?**

It wasn't long before sunrise that Courtney was woken up by the chatter of her close neighbors' voices coming through the open window. Being Sunday, everyone around was up getting ready for church, and for Courtney and her family, Sunday was the most important day of the week. She lumbered out of the small bed that she shared with her younger sister, who was currently shoved off to the side, her head lop-sided with drool wetting the pillow. Courtney chuckled and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, ready for the day.

"Hola mamacita," Courtney smiled as she walked past her mother to the stove and picked up a spatula to help with the early morning breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and fresh squeezed orange juice.

"How are you feeling, mi hija?" her mother asked, noticing her rather cheerful mood.

Courtney shrugged and looked up at her mother and shook her head. "Fine, I guess?" she said and carried a plate of bacon to the round, large table sitting in the next room over.

Looking at her daughter, she knew that she wasn't as fine as she said she was. Walking over to her daughter as she sat down on the breakfast table, she asked, "Mija, you miss Duncan, right?"

Courtney's face scrunched up in the middle, a habit she had when she was called out on something. She remembered how Duncan would always tease her about it, her face turning red. Courtney held back a sob and laid her head on the table. "I hate how he had to leave…" she whispered into the dark wood.

"Not only is he fighting for this country, but he's fighting for you and for your kid, you know that, right?" her mother asked, sitting down next to her, lightly patting her back. Her daughter held her tears, but she knew she couldn't hold it in longer.

"I understand that. I just don't want to raise my son or daughter without their father. What if he dies? That's what I'm worried about most. I can't do this without him."

Her mother sighed. "Then let's pray and hope God brings him back alive," she simply said, standing up and kissing her daughter before retreating to the kitchen.

The younger Lopez woman sighed and twirled the cross that is a constant around her neck and stood up. She went upstairs to her small bedroom and did something she hadn't done in a while. She prayed. She prayed that Duncan would remember to write to her, that he would let her know he was safe, that he would come home safe and sound. She prayed until her knees hurt.

After pleading to God of her wishes, Courtney stood up, wiping her eyes dry, and changed her clothes before leaving for work. She worked at a diner nearby, eight hours a day, just like anyone else, saving up her well-earned money for her child. Courtney could only dream of the day when she would welcome her child to the world… with Duncan next to her.

She wished her mother a good day and walked down the street to the diner. The bright orange neon lights lit up the "Tom's" sign above the building. As Courtney walked in, she was greeted by her regulars. Lars, an elderly man who sat at the long table with all of the other older men, ordered another coffee before she was even able to check in with the supervisor.

"Hey girl," her co-worker, Leshawna, drawled as she poured the coffee into a mug for Lars.

"Hey, 'Shawna." Courtney smiled and hip-checked her on her way past.

"Any word on when Duncan's coming home?" Leshawna asked as she added a bit of sugar and milk into her coffee.

"Haven't heard a word from him yet, actually," Courtney sighed and looked at Leshawna. "Do you think he's gonna be okay?"

"Girl, I know he gon' be okay," Leshawna reassured her. "He's somewhere in Asia, right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"He's probably safer there than them soldiers in Europe. All that Nazi shit… it makes me sick," she spat, taking a sip of her coffee once more.

Courtney rolled her eyes at Leshawna's attitude. "Everyone does, Shawna." She put down a now dirty wash cloth into a soapy bucket. "I'll be with you in a minute," Courtney motioned to a new customer in the corner of the diner. She grabbed her booklet and pen and clicked over to the woman

When she looked up, Courtney gasped in recognition. "Penelope?" Courtney looked down at her sister-in-law and noticed how tired she was. "Coffee?" she suggested.

"Yes, please," Penelope answered in a tired tone. "Two teaspoons of sugar, half a cup of milk."

"Coming right up." Courtney headed to the counter and grabbed a fresh pot of hot coffee and half a cup of milk. After pouring the coffee, then the sugar, then the milk in succession, she sat down across the table.

"What's going on with you?" Courtney held her own cup of coffee between her hands to keep them warm as she watched Penelope.

"A lot, it's a long story. I don't want to trouble you during your job," Duncan's sister sputtered and looked down.

"Well, seeing as we barely have any customers," Courtney sighed, looking around the dining area and seeing an elderly couple having breakfast. "I think I'm fine for now."

Penelope gave her a smile. "That's nice."

"So, what brings you here?"

Penelope ran her hand through her black hair and dropped it into her lap. "I guess I'm just troubled because not only is Duncan gone, Eric is too. But while Duncan is in Asia, Eric is in Europe."

"Heard from him lately?"

"No, I haven't. Last time we saw each other, before he left, he was being sent to the frontlines in Normandy," she sighed. "Have you heard from Duncan?"

"No, not yet.

"Think you'll be fine?"

Courtney momentarily looked out the window, trying to formulate her answer. "I don't know."

The two women sat there in silence for a while before Penelope had to head back home. They hugged and Courtney sat back down and reflected over the conversation until the dinner rush came in.

Tired and weary at the end of the night, Courtney helped lock up the diner and walked with her few co-workers to her house. "Mama?" She called out into the kitchen. She walked in and saw that dinner was sitting on the counter wrapped and a light was on.

Courtney sighed and put the food in the fridge, not having been hungry much. She trudged up to her room and flicked on the light.

"What is this?" She spoke to herself as she walked over to her bed and picked up an envelope.

 _Courtney Lopez-Milton_

 _85796 37th Avenue_

 _New York, New York 10018_

She opened the envelop and started reading the letter.

 _To Courtney,_

 _I know, I've been meaning to write to you for a while, but war… man, war is hell. I know you've been worried about me, but I promise, there is nothing to be worried about. I wanted to tell you something that I dreamt of the other night. We were sitting under a tree in Central Park, and I had my arms wrapped around you and your round stomach. We were talking about baby names. This has been going over in my head for days, driving me crazy! If it's true, Court, I swear I will do whatever it takes to make it back to the both of you. I already know it's going to be a boy. You now both mean the world to me. So don't worry honey, I will be there. Pinky swear._

 _Love, Duncan._

Courtney clasped her hands over her mouth and held back a sob of joy and misery. "Pinky promise…" She whispered into the silence.

 **A/N: Can you believe this took us… more or less two months JUST to get this out of the way? Well, believe it bc there's this one thing that Audi and Julius are facing right now: life.**

 **Audi's got school and work. Julius' got work and school. And church. And a little bit of YouTube.** _ **(Current events: Clowns I swear to God, I live in the Klown Kapital of the World, they're all flocking here!)**_

 **Anyways, this should wrap up this chapter… oh man, did Audi mention clowns again? Man, she's gotta get over them! Thanks for reading and make sure to drop a like and sub-**

 **OH WAIT THIS ISN'T YOUTUBE!** _ **(wow Jewlz...)**_

 **Drop a review and thanks for reading!**


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